Chapter 12
By the time Lane got Celine and Parker situated back at his house, the hour was late and his tired body wanted nothing more than to sleep. But his brain wouldn’t shut off.
He tossed to his side, whipping the blanket over his shoulder.
He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to sleep.
A mental checklist flitted through his mind.
The alarm was set, Celine and Parker were safe across the hall, and no one besides him and Duke knew they’d brought Celine to his house. She was safe.
At least for now.
He flopped onto his back and reopened his eyes.
The ceiling fan whirled above his head. Tomorrow he’d dig into Kevin’s background.
So far, Celine’s ex-husband was the only person who had a shady side that needed explored.
He might not be involved, but something about the guy bugged the hell out of him.
Maybe it was a personal vendetta, but something didn’t feel right.
A loud wail shot him to his feet. His heart took off like a freight train, and he darted across the hall and threw open the door to the guest room.
Celine sat in bed and cradled Parker against her.
The baby rooted around for his late-night snack before latching on. Satisfied, the cries stopped.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, turning his back to the intimate scene.
“You don’t have to look at the door when you talk to me,” she said, chuckling. “Sorry he woke you up. It took me a while to get situated. I usually nurse him in a rocking chair. Our routine was disrupted so it took a little longer.”
He faced her and the glow from the hallway bathed her in a soft light. Her light hair hung over one shoulder and an aura of love enveloped both her and Parker.
And he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his whole damn life.
He cleared his throat, forcing his gaze to meet hers. “I wasn’t sleeping anyway. Too much on my mind.”
“Want to talk about it?” she asked. “I’ve got nothing but time until he’s done eating and goes back to sleep. He’s a little uneasy in a new space without his crib.”
“You’ve got enough problems right now. Last thing you need is me adding on.”
She shrugged and brushed the tip of her finger across Parker’s cheek. “Sometimes it’s nice to have something else to focus on. And who knows, maybe I can help.”
Indecision kept him in the doorway.
She patted the edge of the bed. “Come on. If you stay long enough, you can change him once he’s finished.”
Knowing he could make her life just a little bit easier if he stayed, he lowered himself on the edge of the mattress. He didn’t want to talk to her about her ex-husband while he watched her feed their child, so he opted to steer the conversation to the other issue plaguing him.
“I’m just going over everything Duke and I talked about earlier and wondering if I’m up for it,” he said.
“You mean with the security business?”
He nodded. “I don’t know a damn thing about starting something like this. Don’t have experience with any type of security. I need a job, and quick, but maybe this was a bad idea. Duke opened his big mouth earlier. What if we can’t do this? What if I can’t keep you safe?”
Celine flashed him an amused smile.
A sliver of annoyance tightened his muscles. “What?”
“It’s funny how some things never change.”
“What do you mean? From where I’m sitting, not a whole lot around here is the same. Starting with you sleeping across the hall with our baby.”
“True, but other the things are exactly the same.”
“Like what?”
She dipped her chin toward his bare chest. “Your necklace for one. I can’t think of one time I’ve seen you since you were thirteen years old when you didn’t have that thing around your neck.”
Shocked by her comment, he traced his finger along the gold bullhorn he always wore. “Okay, that’s true but I don’t see how my choice of jewelry is a big indicator of things being the same in our lives.”
“And who gave you that necklace?” She raised her brow, the fact that she already knew the answer to her own question clear in her voice.
“My grandpa.” Emotion lodged in his throat the way it always did when he thought of his grandfather.
His mother’s father had played a key part of his life until the old man died when Lane was a teenager. Once his mother passed away, Grandpa wanted to keep her memory alive as much as possible for him and Suzy.
And he’d kept them from their father’s wrath more than once.
“And why did your grandpa give it to you?” she prodded.
He couldn’t help but smile as the memory flooded back.
He tightened his grip on the pendant. His grandfather had worn this same bullhorn for years before gifting it to Lane—a present that meant more to him than any amount of money in the world.
“To remind me that I’m strong, fierce, and stubborn as hell. ”
“And what did he tell you strong, fierce, and stubborn men always do?”
“Whatever they need to survive.”
Celine extended a hand as if to comfort him but quickly pulled it back, resting her palm on Parker’s stomach instead. “You’ve done that once. You left this town and everyone in it to follow a dream you couldn’t resist.”
He cringed at the note of sadness in her voice.
“This time, you get to chase a different dream—one you never knew you had—and you get to stay. For him.” Unshed tears caught at the end of her words. “If that’s what you really want, I have no doubt you’ll find success. Figure out how to not only survive but thrive.”
He drew in a shuddering breath. “I guess you’re right. Things do stay the same. You still know me better than I know myself.”
She offered him a sad smile. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t.” Even in the dimness of the room, all the pain he’d caused her shone from her eyes.
“I’m sorry I left you back then,” he said. “I—”
She lifted her hand again, this time to stop him from saying more.
“Don’t. If we’re going to make this work between us for Parker’s sake, we can’t go backward.
We can only look forward and figure out how to parent together.
Some wounds can never heal and that’s okay.
My feelings don’t matter anymore. Only his. ”
He had so many more things he wanted to say—so many more wrongs he wanted to right. But she’d made it clear his words meant nothing, and he’d respect that. Besides, he needed to stay focused on what mattered.
Keeping Celine alive and being the father Parker deserved.
“So you think I can do this?” he asked, returning to the topic at hand. “That I can go from a bull-riding cowboy to a business owner?”
“I think you can do anything your stubborn ass puts your mind to,” she said, smirking. “It might be a rough ride for a while, but one that will be worth taking.”
“Rough ride, huh? I like that. Rough Ride Security. How’s that sound?”
“Perfect.” Shifting on the bed, she maneuvered the baby and slipped the strap of her tank top back in place. “Okay, Dad. He’s all yours. Diapers and wipes are on the dresser.”
Raising, he scooped up Parker and held him close as he made his way across the room. Rough Ride Security. It had a nice ring to it, one Duke would appreciate. But in this moment, nothing sounded better to him than Dad.
Sunlight streamed in through the window of the guestroom and woke Celine from a restless sleep. She’d managed a few hours of rest—more than she’d hoped for. Having Lane across the hall brought a sense of peace she hadn’t expected.
Even if a part of her yearned to be across that hall by his side.
How many nights had she spent in this house, in his room? How many hours had she lost talking and losing her innocence to her first love. Heck, her only love.
Sighing, she stretched her arms above her head and scooted up to a seated position.
A quick glance at the portable crib showed Parker was still fast asleep but that wouldn’t last for long.
She craved a quick shower before dressing for the day, but unease knitted her gut.
She didn’t want to leave Parker alone, even if she’d be in the attached bathroom.
The buzz of her phone stalled her decision. She spotted Tia’s name on the screen before answering quickly so the noise wouldn’t wake the baby.
“Hey, Tia. What’s up?”
“Just checking to see how you’re doing after what happened to your car. I didn’t hear from you after you left.”
She slumped back against the line of soft pillows lining the headboard. “Well, things went from bad to worse.” She gave a brief rundown of what happened the previous night, speaking in hushed tones to ensure Parker slept as long as possible.
“And you’re at Lane’s place now?” Tia asked.
“Yeah. It didn’t seem smart to stay at the house anymore.”
“Makes sense. Take the next few days off. Lay low until all of this blows over,” Tia said.
Wincing, Celine mentally went over her options. “How about one day?”
“That’s it?” Tia squeaked. “I mean, I hope that’s all it takes to get things sorted, but it might take a while.”
“And I can’t afford more than one day off. Maybe Lane can come with me. Stand guard while I wait on tables.”
“You two seem awfully cozy. You’re at his place and now he’s going to be your bodyguard?”
Celine could practically see Tia wiggling her eyebrows from over the phone line.
“It’s not like that. He’s starting a security business and I’m his first client.
” She hoped he wouldn’t be angry she shared his news, but it was better than having the town thinking the two of them had gotten back together the second he stepped foot in Hillmore.
“Convenient.” Tia’s sing-song voice spoke volumes.
“Trust me, getting romantically involved with Lane would be the worst thing I could do,” she said rolling her eyes. Her heart sped up as the truth about Parker sat on the tip of her tongue. She’d been so careful not to say anything since his conception.
But she’d already put the truth out there. First with Lane, and then with Kevin. Word would spread like wildfire. Her best friend hearing who Parker’s father was from her would be much better than her stumbling upon the rumor mill.
“There’s something else I need to tell you,” she spat out before she could change her mind.
“Bigger than a man being after you and shacking up with your high school boyfriend?”
“If you think Lane being Parker’s father is bigger than all that, then yes.”
“What?”
Celine pulled the phone away from her face for a beat, the word so loud it continued to ring in her ear.
“Obviously I didn’t hear you right,” Tia continued. “Lane hasn’t been back to Hillmore in years. He can’t be Parker’s father.”
“He came through town last year, right after I found out the truth about Kevin. We ran into each other, and one thing led into another. Nine months later, I’m a mommy.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” Tia’s words didn’t hold an ounce of judgement. Only concern.
Even if no one could see her, she shrugged. “I didn’t tell anyone. Not even Lane until the other day. I was scared. Maybe a little embarrassed and afraid he’d refuse to come home.”
“Understandable with the way things ended with you two. What does he plan to do now that he knows?”
“Stick around and be the kind of dad Parker deserves. I’m still terrified he’ll change his mind and break Parker’s heart.”
“Is it just Parker’s heart you’re worried about?”
She squeezed her eyes shut, hating the pulse of pain that always accompanied thoughts of Lane and what her heart really yearned for. “It has to be.”
“Just be careful. I know Parker comes first, but take care of you, too. If not, I’ll have to sweep in and do it for you.”
Celine cracked a smile. “Thank you.”
A small whimper sounded from the portable crib. Parker grunted and wiggled out of his swaddle.
“I have to get going. I’ll keep you updated.”
She hung up and scooped Parker into her arms, snuggling him close and soaking up his sweetness before officially starting her day. She stared into his adorable face and tried to ignore the truth she’d never be able to forget.
Lane would always have her heart, but she could never trust him not to break it.